Tsjetsjenië

Persoverzicht Tsjetsjenië - juli 2018

6 juli 2018

Court refuses to move trial against Chechen human rights activist outside Chechnya: The Chechen Supreme Court has refused to move the trial of the head of Memorial's office in Chechnya Oyub Titiyev to a different Russian region. Titiyev has been charged with 'illegal possession of drugs'. (Kommersant, Ekho Moskvy)

10 juli 2018

Human rights defenders briefly detained at action in support of Chechen rights activist: The head of the Memorial human rights center Oleg Orlov and the chairperson of the 'Civic Assistance' Committee Svetlana Gannushkina were briefly detained by police on Monday in Moscow during an action in support of the head of Memorial's office in Chechnya Oyub Titiyev. Police have drawn up a protocol on violation of the rules of holding rallies. (ii) MK reports on the cases against Titiyev and the head of Memorial's Karelian office Yury Dmitriyev. (Kommersant, MK, RBC)

11 juli 2018

Chechen rights activist files complaint with Strasbourg Court: The head of Memorial's office in Chechnya Oyub Titiyev has reportedly filed a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights over his arrest on charges of 'illegal possession of drugs'. Titiyev considers the case against him fabricated. Lawyers of the Memorial NGO argue that the Russian authorities violated Article 5 (the right to liberty and security of person) and Article 18 (which prohibits 'politically motivated persecution') of the European Convention on Human Rights. (Kommersant)

12 juli 2018

Program for voluntary resettlement of Russian compatriots: Chechnya and Karachayevo-Cherkessia have joined the state program for the voluntary resettlement to Russia of compatriots living abroad. (RG)

HRW memorandum on Russia: Kommersant addresses a memorandum on Russia submitted by Human Rights Watch ahead of the consideration by the UN Committee Against Torture of the Russian government's compliance with the International Convention Against Torture. In particular, the memorandum draws attention to violations of the Convention in Chechnya and also highlights the arrest of the head of Memorial's office in Chechnya Oyub Titiyev. (Kommersant)

17 juli 2018

Rights activists submit report to UN Committee Against Torture: Russian human rights activists have submitted to the UN Committee Against Torture a report on Russia's compliance with the International Convention against Torture. Special attention is paid to human rights violations in the North Caucasus. The report was prepared by the 'Public Verdict' foundation, the 'Civic Assistance' Committee, the Memorial human rights centre, the OVD-Info project and some other NGOs. (Vedomosti)

20 juli 2018

Duma passes first reading of bill raising retirement age: The Duma on Thursday passed in a 328-104 vote a first reading of a draft bill raising the retirement age. The Duma will consider a second reading of the bill in autumn. Natalia Poklonskaya, the former prosecutor of Crimea, was the only United Russia Duma deputy who voted against the bill. Novaya Gazeta notes that another eight United Russia deputies, including the deputy secretary of the party's general council Sergey Zheleznyak, did not show up during the voting. RBK daily mentions that according to the 'Petersburg Politics' foundation, 12 Russian regions – Dagestan, Chechnya, Yakutia, the Kamchatsky territory, the Vladimir, Irkutsk, Kemerovo, Omsk, Oryol and Yaroslavl regions, Moscow and the Jewish autonomous region – have refrained from public support of the proposed increase in the retirement age. Vedomosti addresses coverage of the consideration of bill by Russia's federal TV channels. Meanwhile, a protest action was held outside the Duma on Thursday against the plan to raise the retirement age. Left Front coordinator Sergey Udaltsov and the former head of Yabloko's Moscow branch Sergey Mitrokhin were among protesters. Reportedly, more than 10 people were detained during a protest in St. Petersburg on 18 July. (Kommersant, Novaya Gazeta, RBK, RG, Vedomosti; see also economic headlines)

Chechen human rights activist Titiyev case: The Shali city court in Chechnya has begun hearing the case against the head of Memorial's office in Chechnya Oyub Titiyev accused of 'illegal possession of drugs'. (Kommersant)

23 juli 2018

Two policemen killed in Dagestan attack: Two police officers were killed in an attack by gunmen on a police patrol on Friday evening in Dagestan's Kizilyurt district. (RG, TASS)

25 juli 2018

Russian ombudsman's interview: In an interview with RBK daily, Russian Human Rights Ombudsman Tatiana Moskalkova addresses a range of issues, including prospects of an exchange of prisoners between Russia and Ukraine, the health condition of Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov, as well as reports on tortures, persecution of LGBT people in Chechnya and other issues. (https://www.rbc.ru/newspaper/2018/07/25/5b4de8dd9a794707e3d01388)

30 juli 2018

LGBT rights: According to the 'Russian LGBT Network', 125 people have left Chechnya since the beginning of 2017 because of the alleged persecution of LGBT people. A representative of the 'Russian LGBT Network' told Kommersant that most of them have left Russia. (Kommersant)